Latch



May 6 1924.'

1,493,307 M. v. WILLS LATCH Filed March 26 1923 //v vs'w TOR MARIO/v V- WILLS Arron/v5)" Patented .May 6, 1924.

MARION vnrsn'rinn wins, on NEW PHILADELPZHIVA, onr'o',

PATENT *FFr-ct.

ssre'nba Oscar-Hair T0 FRANK M1 WILLS, or new PHILADELPHIA, OHIO.

LATCH.

Application fi1e'd'March2G, 1923. Serial: 1%. 627,893.

To all whom it may concern:

B'e'it known that 1,-MARION VhLENTINE,

lVrLLs, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at New Philadelphia, in

the county of-Tuscarawas, State of Ohio,

have invented certain new and useful 1-mprovement-s 1n Latches, and- I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description of the invention,

" suchaswill enable others. skilled i'n-the-art to which it appertains to'make and usethe same.

This invention relates to improvements in swinging door latches, having for an object to providev a novel form of sliding latch especially desirable for use in connection with the doors of automobiles and like, vehicles, being of such construction as will permit of free sliding'mo'vement of the latch bolt at all times and likewise, prevent such latch bolt froni'havingbinding engagement with any portion of the casing therefor or the door, such as wouldcause faulty operationof the same either during retraction, as

when opening a door so equipped, or when returning to its engagedor operative p0sitron, as when closlngsald door. a It is also an ob ect of tll'QlIlVQIltlQliiOPI'O- vide a sliding latch of. the character mentioned which will be snugly retained in the casing providedtherefor and in consequence, be prevented from rattling or havingsimilar undesirable movement.

Other objects will be in part obvious-and in partpointed out'hereinafter.

In order that the invention and its mode of operation may be readily understood by persons skilled in the art, I have in the accompanying illustrative drawings and in the detailed following descriptiomset out one possible embodiment of the same.

In these drawings=:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectionv taken.throughthe' casing of the improved latch showing thearrangement ofthe latch bolt therein;

Figure 2 is a horizontal longitudinal sec tion through the device I V j Figure-3 is a similar sectionshowing. the

Y latch bolt and the connectingdevice in top.

plan; I a

Figure 4 is a similar 'sectiontaken on the line H of Figure '1'; a

Figure 5 is an enlarged :detail in perspective of the improvedlatch bolt; and,

the proper portion of an automobiledoor to be equipped with: the invention. transversely extended horizontally arranged rotatable spindle 2 ismounted in suitable, bearings provided in the oppositewalls of To the'casing 1 and carries" an arm 3 thereon-,- for a purpose? which'will be subsequentlydescribed, while upon the outer end of this spindle, there is arranged the usual handle or knobc. Also, asis usual in the arrang'ementof latching devices upon 'a-utomobile doors,ua substantially vertically arranged lever fragmentally shown herein and indicated bythe numeral 5 is pivotally mounted. in the. upperportion of the casing l andis adapted to have the lower endithereoi so positioned as to be engaged with thelatch bolt, in the manner hereinafter described, thus. providing two operation devices for the latchbolt whereby itmay be moved toas its retracted or inoperative position when openingthe automobile-door; In thisfoonnection, it-is, o f course, to be understood. that the upper end of the actuating lever; 5 isprovided with a suitable form of handle, knob or otherdevicaas common in the art.

A horizontally arranged. longitudinally extended way or channel 6 is formed in the latch casing; l-andzsnugly receives therein the latchrbolt indicatedin its entirety by the 5 numeral 7, the outer end ofisuch twa-y, ofcourse, being; open, whereby the corresponding end 'ofthe-latchbolt.may-be engaged v in the keeper provided for in the adjacent portion of theiautomobile body. v

, This latchbolt 7 comprises a; substantially rectangular piece of metal having the outer en'd thereofcurved uponitself as indicatedupon this particular face of the latch bolt, there are formed diagonally and inwardly extended bevelled seats 11 and 12 respectively, the rearward portion of the seat 12 being constituted by the adjacent portion of the shoulder or abutment 9.

lVith a view towards providing means for retaining the slidable latch bolt 7 against rattling or other undesirable movement in the casing 1 and also, to permit of free sliding movement thereof, when desired, I provide a connecting element indicated in its entirety by the numeral 13. This connecting element 13 consists of a single piece t of metal having shoulders or extensions 14 and 15 formed upon the inner side thereof and of a shape approximately corresponding to the shape of the bevelled seats 11 and 12 formed upon the aforesaid side of the latch bolt 7. Also, a longitudinally disposed guide rib 16 is formed upon the inner face and intermediate portion of the connecting element 13 and is adapted to have slidable reception in the longitudinal way or groove formed in said latch bolt 7, it being noted in this connection, that the guide rib 16 is of a length less than that of the way or groove 10, the purpose of which will be subsequently apparent.

In assembly of the improved latch, the slidable latch bolt 7, as heretofore'noted, is arranged for its sliding movement in the way 6 provided in the latch casing 1, whereupon the connecting element 13 is positioned adjacent that side of the latch bolt formed with the bevelled seats 11 and 12. The inner side of the connecting element 13, that is, that side of the same carrying the bevelled shoulders 14 and is positioned adjacent the seats 11 and 12 and in such position, said shoulders 14 and 15 will engage in the bevelled seats 11 and 12 re spectively in the manner indicated in the Figures 3 and 4.

Because of the slidable engagement of the guide rib 15 in the longitudinal groove or way 10 of the latch bolt 7 it will be understood that sliding movement of the connecting element 13 with relation to said latch bolt will be permitted and in order that the connecting element will be normally retained in a position in proximity to the outer or curved end 8 of said bolt 7, a coiled or clock spring 17 is mounted by securing the convolutionsthereof to one wall of the casing as indicated at 18, the free or outer convolution thereof being so arranged as to providea substantially right angle upwardly extending leg 19, which leg is adapted to be engaged with a portion of the adja cent side of the connecting element 13. Thus, it will be understood that the forward end of the guide rib 16 of the connecting element 13 will be normally retained in engagement with the forward end of the way 10. In consequence, the bevelled shoulders 14 and 15 will have sliding move ment of their respective bevelled seats 11 and 12 and therefore, the reception of the latch bolt 7 an-dthe connecting element 13 in the way 6 of'the latch casing 1 will be snug and therefore, will serve to prevent any possibility of rattling of such units of construction in the casing as well as any other undesirable movement thereof.

To permit of connection between the connecting element 13 and the arm 3 of the spindle 2 and the lower end of the operating lever 5, a forwardly curved arm 20 and a forwardly inclined arm 21 are arranged in spaced relation upon the upper side of said connecting element 13, the forwardly curved arm 20 being in a position adjacent the arm 3 and adapted to he engaged thereby with oscillation of the spindle 2, whereas the forwardly inclined arm 21 is in a position adjacent to the lower end of the operating lever 5, whereby with rocking movement of the latter, the free end will be engaged with the arm 21 and hence, transmission of rearward sliding movement to the connecting element 13 will be permitted.

In operation of my improved latch, when either the spindle 2 or the operating lever 5 is oscillated or rocked in the proper direction, a rearward thrust will be imparted to the connecting element 13 through the arms 20 and 21 arranged upon its upper side, thus causing rearward longitudinal and inward or angular sliding movement of the connecting element 13 with respect to the adjacent face of the latch bolt 7, the bevelled shoulders 14 and 15 riding inwardly over the adjacent portions of the bevellel seats 11 and 12 receiving the same and in consequence, reducing the thickness or width of the latch construction. Because of such reduction of the thickness or width of the latch construction, it will be under stood that free and uninterrupted rearward sliding movement of the latch bolt 7 with respect to the way 6 provided in the casing 1 therefor will be permitted and in consequence, free and uninterrupted operation of the latch, as when opening the: door, will be ensured, without any possibility of the binding of the latch bolt at any point with. respect to the latch casing or any contacting portion of the door receiving the device. When moved to its retracted posi-' tion, it will be understood that the con necting element 13 will be engaged with the latch bolt 7 by reason of the engagement of the rearward portions of the shoul-- ders 14 and 15 with the rearward portions of the seats 11 and 12 and thus, connection as between said latch bolt and the operating handles on operating devices of the latch construction will be provided in order that the former may be successfully operated.

When the handles or operating devices of the latch construction are released, in order that the latch bolt may be returned to its operative position, it will be understood that the coiled or clock spring 17 will innnediately fiuiction to return the latch bolt 7 as well as the connecting element 13 to their initial or normal positions, that is, extended, whereby, the latch bolt Will serve, when engaged with its keeper, as an efi'ectual means for retaining the automobile'door in its closed position. During such return longitudinal movement of the latch bolt 7 and the connecting element 13, the latter will have the forward 'end of the guide rib 16 thereof engaged with the adjacent end of the guide groove 10 and in consequence, the thickness of the latch construction will be increased and therefore, the snug retention of the same in the latch casing will be effected, hence, avoiding any rattling or other undesirable movement of the latch construction, consisting of the latch bolt 7 and the connecting element 13 in the casing 1.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that I have provided an exceedingly simple yet very effective and eflicient form of slidable latch, which because of the provision of means for increasing and decreasing the thickness or width of the latch construction, will, at certain times, cause the snug re-' tention of the latch construction in the casing and at other times, by decreasing the thickness or Width of the latch construction will serve to permit of free and uninterrupted movement of the latch bolt 7 to its retracted or inoperative position.

Manifestly, the construction shown .is

capable of considerable modification and of, a connecting element positioned adjacent said side of the latch bolt adapted to have limited longitudinal movement with respect to the same, bevelled spaced shoulders formed upon the inner side of said connect-1 ing element engageable in said bevelled seats, and operating meansconnected to the connecting element.

3. A latch comprising. a casing, a latch,

bolt slidably supported therein having longitudinally spaced bevelled seats formed in one side thereof, a connecting element positioned adjacent said side of the latch bolt and adapted to have limited longitudinal movement with respect to the same, bevelledshoulders formed upon the inner side of said connecting element engageable in'said bevelled seats, spring means for normally retalning said connecting element in its forward position with respect to the latch bolt and operating means connected to said connecting element.

4:.qA latch comprising a. casing, a bolt slidably supported therein, said bolt having a longitudinally disposed groove formed in its intermediate portion and longitudinally spaced bevelled seats formed in one side thereof, a connecting element positioned adjacent said sideof the latch bolt, bevelled shoulders formed upon the inner side of said connecting element adapted to be engaged in said bevelled seats of the latch bolt, the inner side of said connecting element having a longitudinally disposed guide rib arranged thereon, said rib being of a length less than the longitudinal way in said latch bolt but receivable therein, spring means connected to said connecting element for a normally retaining the same in its forward position with respect to said latch bolt and operating means connected to said oonnecting element.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand. I

. MARION VALENTINE WVILLS.

i l) w 

